From the Oak: Let’s hear it for the God!

Many are those that focus on female divinities, leaving male divinities in the shadows if they get mentioned at all. This is a shame. Here I will share my thoughts, stories and prayers on male divinities.

My Experience with Odin

So I've only recently returned home from fest and visiting my sister. This is the first good opportunity I've had to sit down and write. Forgive my lateness.

One of the big rituals at the Pagan festival I attend is the Drawing Down. It is where multiple priests and priestesses allow a divinity to take temporary possession of their bodies so that they can speak with devotees. Who you speak with is typically luck of the draw. Rarely are masculine divinities drawn down in my experience, as female divinities are just more popular it seems. Even more rare, in my experience, is having a walker seek out a particular person at a divinity's behest. I experienced both this time.

As a friend and I approached the entrance to the ritual area, we found a walker waiting. At first I thought that he was warding the area, making sure people passing by were quiet and would not interrupt proceedings. He held out his hand to my friend and promptly led her past the dozen or so people waiting to speak with a divinity. I was surprised but glad for my friend.

I waited only 2-3 minutes before a walker entered the area and made a beeline for me. I, too, was lead past the others that had been waiting before me. The walker told me I was going to see Odin. My heart dropped. Yay for seeing a masculine divinity for a change...but...Odin has a very fierce reputation. I must of trembled because the walker asked me if I was nervous. I told him that I'm always nervous before I go see a divinity. Things had happened so quickly I had had no time to prepare myself and well...Odin. The walker chuckled and told me that Odin was in a very good and chatty mood. He would probably ask me to sit down while we chatted. That was another surprise. Usually you are either kept standing or asked to kneel.

Sure enough, as soon as I was led to Odin's pavilion, I felt waves of peace rolling off of him. As he started to speak, he seemed very grandfatherly, like the type of grandfather I've always wanted but never had. He asked me to sit. I probably talked with him for 5 to 10 minutes which is also unusual. He pointed out to me that I had allowed myself to be caught up in a modern mindset that really didn't apply to me, my situation or even my belief system. Among other things, he also said that it is a modern mindset the idea that one can raise a child alone.

When we were done, he helped me to my feet, gave me a hug and I kissed him on the cheek. When the walker came up to guide me on my way, he said, "See I told you he was feeling chatty. Wasn't as scary as you thought, eh?" And he wasn't. While I've been reminded by others, repeatedly, that this is not a typical "face" of Odin, all I can go by is my own experience which is of a wise grandfather-type divinity who left me comforted and set to rights. As a "squishy" polytheist, Odin reminded me very much of Kronos, who I have recently wrote about and who I also honored at the First Harvest Festival. Coincidence? Maybe. When I returned to camp I lit an incense stick in both their honors.

How about you? Have you ever experienced a divinity who was completely unlike anything you expected?

I am a Hellenic Pagan, dedicated to Zeus, living in the Colorado mountains with my husband, our son, two cats and a yellow lab. In the little bit of free time that I have, I enjoy reading and crafting.

Comments

Actually, yes. In one of the two Wiccan traditions I have received initiation in, it is considered acceptable, even ideal, for Priests and Priestess to be able to Draw Down both the Sun and the Moon. So I was bestowing a Third Degree initiation upon my dear friend Deb, whose goddess is Aphrodite. Naturally I Drew Down Ares. Now, Ares has a bad rep, but I found Him to be passionate, gentle and understanding, as well as strong and fierce. He was a little confused by my female body at first, but made do quite well, and was delighted by the opportunity to lie with His beloved in the physical. He was a little reluctant to leave when He was asked to, but we were persistent and He departed without malice. All in all, a wonderfully pleasant experience!

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Melia Brokaw
Monday, 19 August 2013

Ah Ares. I have a soft spot for him. His "good" points are often overlooked. Thanks for sharing!

Melia, this is spot on with how I have experienced Odhin as "The Old Man".
Not all the time. But yes, he can be quite chatty when he's happy. And grim or very sad if you see him around war, infuriating, sometimes a total hard ass when he's training you, like a strict sensei or coach-- and the best mentor and friend you'll ever find. It all depends on the situation.